Pattern Description This pattern is one of my very favorite golden stone nymph patterns. John Barr has an uncanny ability to design flies that not only look good but catch fish too and they are typically pretty simple flies. The Tung Stone has a few tricks here and there but overall is an easy tie and a great addition to your repertoire. I tie mine in sizes 6 through 14 and they are a great pattern to use throughout the Spring. The Colorado and Arkansas Rivers are prime golden stone habitat and there have been many days when the Tungstone has earned its spot on my tippet on these waters.

Put the bead on the hook and slide it up to the hook eye. Start the tying thread right behind the bead and wrap back to the bend, forming a smooth thread base as you go.

step: 3

Cut and oppose two goose biots and tie them in at the bend of the hook so the pointed ends extend past the bend of the hook about a half a shank length. Wrap forward over the butt ends to the mid-point on the shank and clip the excess.

step: 4

Tie in a length of 3X tippet material at the mid point of the shank on the far side of the hook. Wrap back over the mono to the base of the tails.

step: 5

Return the thread to the midpoint and tie in a piece of pearl Lateral Scale flash. Make sure to keep the flash flat on top of the hook shank and wrap back over it to the base of the tails as well.

step: 6

Cut a strip of Thinskin that is about half the width of the hook gap.

step: 7

Tie the Thinskin in at the mid point of the shank and wrap back over it to the bend. Stretching the Thinskin as you wrap over it will help to keep it centered and cupped around the hook.

step: 8

Dub the abdomen to the 65 % point on the hook forming a slight taper. Pull the Thinskin shellback over the top of the abdomen and tie it down at the front.

step: 9

Pull the Lateral Scale forward over the top of the Thinskin, taking care to keep it centered as well, and tie it down at the front.

step: 10

Rib the 3X tippet material forward through the abdomen about five or six turns, and tie off the mono at the front. Clip the excess Thinskin, flash and mono at this point.

step: 11

Begin dubbing the thorax with a small ball of dubbing right up to, and even slightly overlapping, the abdomen.

step: 12

Select a Gold Dyed Grizzly hen saddle feather.

step: 13

Preen a small bunch of hackle fibers out from the stem of the feather so the tips are even.

step: 14

Tie this clump of hackle fibers in on the far side of the hook so they extend back to the hook point and are in line with the hook shank.

step: 15

Tie another equal sized clump of hackle fibers in along the near side of the hook in the same manner. Clip the butt ends of both clumps flush against the shank.

step: 16

Take the remaining piece of Thinskin left over from the abdomen backstrap and cut the end straight across. Lay this piece on top of the first thorax section as shown here. The wingcase should cover the first thorax segment as well as the very front edge of the abdomen.

step: 17

Bind the Thinskin wingcase in place with a couple turns of thread. The Thinskin should buckle evenly around the hook shank and cup against the thorax dubbing. Clip the excess Thinskin, but save the stub for the second wingcase.

step: 18

Dub the second thoracic section up to just behind the bead. Tie in another set of legs on both sides as you did on the first section.

step: 19

Clip the end of the reserved piece of Thinskin square once again and tie it in at the front edge of the second thoracic segment as you did with the first one.

step: 20

Dub a small collar right behind the bead to cover the tie off area. Whip finish and clip the thread.